Exposition Upon Select Psalms, Biblical commentary · Psalm 84
The Argument of the LXXXIIII. Pſalme
It is a Pſalme of prayer, of Dauids, as it is likelie, being baniſhed through the tyrannie of Saull. It is firſte made of a heauie complaint vntounto the 9 verſe. Then of a petition vntounto the 13. verſe. Finallie of ane acclamatorie concluſion in the 13, verſe.
The LXXXIIII. Pſalme.
1 A Pſalme (commited) to the Maſter of the Muſick, among the poſterity of Korach, (to be ſong) vponupon the inſtrumentes Gittith
2 O Iehoua of hoſtes, how amiable are thy tabernacles!
3 My ſoule is touched vvith a deſire, yea it faynteth to come to the courtes of Iehoua, my heart and my fleſh, cry out to come vntounto the ſtrong liuing God.
4 To thine altars, Iehoua of hoſtes, my king, and my God, yea the ſparrowe findeth an houſe, and the ſwallowe a neſt for themſelues, in the which they may lay there yong ones.
5 Bleſſed are they that dwell in thy houſe, they will prayſe thee alway.
6 Bleſſed is the man, who in thee hath libertie of thy pathes, which the godlie hauehave in their mind.
7 Bleſſed are they who pasſing through the valley of the Mulberrie, appoynt that fountaine, whome alſo the raine of thy blesſings do couer.
8 They goe from battell array, to battel array, let eueryevery man compeir before God in Tzijon.
O Iehoua] The firſt part of the pſalme the complaint, in which the diuers paſſions of Davids mind being baniſhed, vtter themſelues. And firſt indeede the affection of that louelove whereby hee embraceth Gods preſence in his Church, is brought out in this verſe. For David when he had felt that ſweetneſſe of the preſence of GOD, which then was tied vntounto the Church of the Iewes, he was taken with a wonderfull louelove thereof. Alſo hee openeth vp that moſt tender louelove in this word, [How amiable,] For this word is the ſpeech of a lover. By the name of Tabernacles he vnderſtandeth that viſible Miniſtrie, which then was bounde to the temple of Ieruſalem onelyonly, and in which God exhibited himſelfe to his people to be ſeene in ſome ſort. My ſoule is touched] In this the paſſion of deſire vttereth the ſelfe: For when the holy man was baniſhed, from that preſence of GOD which he ſo greatly loued, hee was not touched with a meane deſire thereof. For deſire properly ariſeth, of the abſence of theſe thinges which we louelove. Conſidder therefore what it is to hauehave once taiſted how gracious the Lord is, for of the taiſt commeth the louelove, of the louelove ariſeth the deſire of the thing abſent, which thinge the felle ſurelie is neuer deſtitute of ſome ſorte of enioying and preſence. Bleſſed are they that hunger and thirſt for righteouſnes, becauſe they ſhall be ſatisfied. But they, who at no time hauehave taiſted howe gracious the Lorde is, they ſurelie are not taken with his louelove, and they who louelove not, they deſire not him that is abſent. For what is the cauſe that you ſee manie deſtitute of this viſible preſence of God which is in his Miniſterie, & not-with-ſtan-ding are not ſo much, as by the leaſte feeling, touched with the ſenſe thereof. Theſe neuer taſted, how ſweete this preſence of GOD was in his miniſterie. From thence there is no louelove of God, againe from thence, there is no deſire of him. But what would you thinke of thoſe, which not onelyonly doe ſuffer themſelues willinglie to be depriued of this preſence of God, but alſo perſecute the ſame al the waies they can? I pray you of what minde ar thoſe men toward God, & how wickedly are they diſpoſed. [Yea my ſoule fainteth] He aggravateth that his deſire to come vntounto God, and firſte indeede from that, that through the deſire, his minde fayleth him: Then from that, that he is whollie occupied with that deſire, both in his heart, in his fleſh, in his minde, in his bodie: Thirdlie from that, that through the deſire he cryeth out. Marke therefore in this place, how vehement the paſſion vſeth to be in the godlie, not onlie of deſire, but of louelove, ſorrow and rejoyſing &c. For that ſpirit of GOD, which ſtirreth vp this affectiō in the godly is in cōprehenſible. From thence his operation is marueilous in the hart, not ſuch natural commotiones indeede as vſe to bee in the mind, as the naturall deſire, the naturall louelove, the naturall ſorrow, &c. From thence the ſighes of the godlie are ſaid to bee vnſpeakeable. Rom. 8, and the joye vnutterable and glorious. 1. Pet. 1 Neuertheles there is ſomething in the affection of the godlie, which you may vvounder at, and which you cannot finde in the naturall paſſion: Their deſire is vehement, it is not without ſome preſence and enjoying of that thing which they deſire, from thence ariſeth that pleaſure while they deſire. For their ſighes cannot be expreſſed, ſurelie they are not without ſome ioye, if the vnſpeakeable ioy bee not conioyned with inutterable ſighes. [To the ſtrong God.] VnderUnder theſe titles of God there is ſome cauſe of ſo great a deſire, for he felt that his whole power & his life was from God, who is both ſtrong and liuing, that is, whoe is not onelie ſtrong in himſelfe, but furniſheth ſtrength vntounto his creatures, not onelie liueth himſelfe, but powreth in life into the things created: they then which feele themſelues to liue by God, that they moue and are, ſurelie they ſuffer not themſelues to wante the preſence of God: But they who feele not that thing, they take that abſence of God in a good ynough part. I grant, all liue indeede, and are by him, but all vnderſtand not that: onelie they vnderſtand and feele that, who hauehave begun to liue that life of God, & hauehave the firſt fruites of the Spirit. They indeede aſcribe to God alone as his gifte, not onelie that ſpirituall life, but euen the ſenſuall life, [Yea the ſparrow.] The third affection. Indignation, for he is angrie, yea that a ſparrow or a ſwallow▪ ſhall hauehave ſome entrie to the altars of God: when not-with-ſtanding the altares of GOD, belong nothinge to thoſe litle birdes: But he himſelfe which is a member of the Church, all entrie vntounto the Church of God is vtterly ſtopped vp. You ſee therefore that the Godlie, being deſtitute of Gods preſēce, envie that the little birdes ſhoulde hauehave the ſame, and they thinke themſelues miſerable in reſpect of the birdes. You ſee alſo, that God by the birdes, doeth after ſome ſorte prouoke men to aemulation. The vngodlie in this life do ſuffer eaſilie the things created and dum, to draw neerer vntounto god thē thēſelues, and yet for all this, thinke not themſelues in this reſpect, either more blesſed or more miſerable thē themſelues. But when they ſhall come to that latter judgement or to that aire, and to thoſe clowdes, wherewith the Lorde ſhall be invironed, and vponupon which he ſhall ſet miſerable men, they ſhall thinke the birdes happie in reſpect of themſelues. [My King and my God.] Thoſe names of God, ſufficientlie declare that there was alſo ſome preſence of God preſent at that time, when hee ſo grieuouſlie complaineth of his abſence. For theſe words proceede from faith, that is, from ſome preſent apprehenſion. You will ſee then the godlie complaine of the abſence of GOD, when notwithſtanding they feele him preſent in ſome ſorte. They complayn alſo of his abſence, becauſe they cannot get that preſence and communion of God, which they would hauehave. For we liue here by faith, and not by ſight, that is, we looke a far off onelyonly vppon the Lorde, and that ſelfe ſame ſight, which is from a farre off, is hindred many waies; yea, many times alſo all preſēce of God, is reſt away from our eies. From thence ariſeth that deſire of flitting out of this bodie, and going to dwell with the Lord. From thence come theſe complaints, concerning the Lords abſence. Bleſſed are thoſe who dwel] This is the fourth affection, woundring. He cannot ſufficiently wounder at the bleſſedneſſe of theſe men, who hauehave ſome entry patent vntounto God, that is, to that viſible miniſterie, in which God exhibited himſelf to be ſeene in ſome ſort. For whoſoeuer at any time hauehave God preſent with themſelues, thoſe define that bleſſedneſſe, that felicity of man, by that ſame preſence and communion, which is with God: Neither ar they able at any time, who hauehave not ſeene God in Chriſt, either to thinke aright or ſpeak truly of that happines. From thence proceed theſe ſhamefull errours of prophane Philoſophers, of which number, ſome hauehave beene ſo mad, that they hauehave placed the miſerie of man, in place of his happines. Alſo, thoſe whom in the firſt place hee publiſhed to bee bleſſed; thoſe appeare to be the Levites and the Prieſtes. For thoſe are they who dwelt in the houſe of God, and according to their office, perpetually prayſed him. The Miniſters therefore of the Church, obteine the firſt place of happineſſe, and no marvell indeede, if thou wilt meaſure happineſſe by Gods preſence, and the glorifying of his name. For the Miniſterie are ſanctified & ſeparated aboue others, to communicate with GOD; vponupon whom this thing lyeth as a parte of their office, that they poynt out as it were, with the finger, God whom they firſt hauehave ſeene in Chriſt, and paynte out Chriſt before the eies, to others in the preaching of the Goſpell, and crucifie him as it were to others: there fore the faithfull Miniſters and ſtewards of the myſterie of Chriſt, ar chieflie bleſſed; but if they be not faithfull, they are of all men the moſt miſerable, Bleſſed is the man] Secondly, he eſteemeth them to be bleſſed, who hauehave an eaſie entrie into the Church of God: For this is that which he ſayeth: Who in thee hauehave libertie of thy pathes] For here alſo is the matter of happines, that there is an eaſie paſſage made vntounto vsus, to the aſſemblies of the Church, in which the worde of God is heard and preached, and the Sacraments are miniſtred: But wee very oft, fulfill that which is commonly ſpoken; The nearer that wee draw to the Temple of God in our bodie; wee are the farther in our ſoule from God; and we abuſe that libertie and power, in which there is any matter of bleſſednes: For wee hauehave taken a loathing of the worde of God, and of the Eccleſiaſticall aſſemblies long ſince. Bleſſed are they] Thirdly, hee counteth theſe among the bleſſed, who, howbeit they had a hard way & a droughthie place to paſſe through as was the valley of the mulberie, are compelled to journey, & likewiſe travell in a raynie weather: Notwithſtanding, they are able to come vntounto the Church of God: Appoynt that fountaine] That is, they refreſh themſelues with a conſideration of that fountaine of GOD, vntounto the which, they ſtriue through thoſe droughthie places, The rayne of thy bleſsing.] That is, which for the moſt parte, is ſent to communicate the bleſſing of God with the earth, & maketh it fertil. Thou ſeeſt then that thoſe are bleſſed, to whome otherwiſe there is an hard entry into the Church of GOD, if in the meane time they come vntounto him: For the difficultie of comming vntounto God, taketh not away our happineſſe, if ſobeit at length wee take holde on him. But theſe ſurely are the meet judges of this happines, who hauehave once taſted, howe gracious the Lorde is, and what greate ſweetnes is in his preſence. They goe from battle array] The reaſon of their bleſſednes, who hauehave an vneaſie waye vntounto the Church of God, from the event. They go (ſayeth he] from battel aray, to battel aray] That is, after they are commed into the Church, that difficil way being accompliſhed, they paſſe from one holy aſſembly to another daylie, to exerciſe publickly, the whole worſhippe of GOD. It is a borrowed ſpeech from warfare. Let every man compeare] This is done according to the Lawe. Hee ſheweth evidently then their happineſſe, who hauehave an hard journey vntounto the Church, from the notable iſſue; for wee muſt meaſure bleſſedneſſe from the iſſue, and not from the meanes, whereby wee attaine vntounto the iſſue. And therefore our Saviour in the fifth of Matthew ſaieth, Bleſſed are they that mourne, for they ſhal be comforted, whereby hee ſignifieth, that bleſſednes is not ſo much in the mourning, as it is in the conſolation: Not-with-ſtanding, hee ſheweth that mourning is a neceſſarie midds for comfort, ſo that if wee mourne not in this life, there ſhall be no comforte for vsus in that that is to come, vnles we paſſe as it were in ſome ſort through the Helles, wee ſhall not come vntounto the Heavens.
9 O Iehova, God of hoſtes, heare my prayer, conceiue with thine eares, ô God of Iahakob. Selah.
10 O our ſhield, behold, ô God, and looke vponupon the face of thy Chriſt.
11 For one daye in thy courtes is better then a thouſand. I chooſe to haunt the threſholde in the houſe of my God, then to dwell in the pauillion of iniquitie.
12 For God Iehova is the ſunne & the ſhield, Iehova giveth grace and glory, hee with-holdeth not good, from them that walke in vprightnes.
The ſecond parte of the Pſalme, the prayer.
O Iehova] Now hee prayeth vntounto GOD, that of his mercy hee would bring him home from baniſhment into his Church: The petition is conteined in two verſes: The reaſon therof is vntounto the 13. verſe. The ground of the petition, vppon the which it is built, is eaſilie perceived from the titles and names, whereby hee incalleth God. Alſo, the ground of the petition firſte, is indeede in taking holde on GOD in his everlaſting eſſence, from whence hee is called Iehova: Then next, in that his infinite power, from whence hee is called, the GOD of hoſtes, and that he hath vnderunder his dominion, al hoſtes and armies; aſwel the heavenly, as the earthly. Thirdly, in his mercy, which he hath made manifeſt in that covenant, made with Abraham, Iſaac, and Iakob, from whence hee is called, the God of Iahakob. For wee cannot pray vntounto God, except we take holde on him in our heart, not only in that his everlaſting eſſence, wherby he is diſtinguiſhed, from all things created, but alſo in his proprieties, but chiefely in two; power, whereby he is able to ſaue vsus, and mercy, whereby he is willing to ſaue vsus. Alſo, we vtter this apprehenſion of heart, in the titles and names of God, while wee call him Iehova, ſometime the God of armies, at other times, the God of Iahakob; and finallie, when wee are praying, we call vponupon him by other titles. It is to be marked in the petition, that hee repeateth the ſelfe ſame petitiō. This repetition ſheweth evidently, the earneſt deſire of the thing ſought for, without the which, wee ſhould not call vppon God, for the deſire of the heart, is a certaine neceſſary foundation of praiers. From thence aryſe thoſe vehement and repeated petitions, the which ſelfſame askings againe, of neceſſitie, God muſt heare. But if there be not a deſire of the heart, the askings are but colde and drye, and therefore againe they get nothing but a colde & a drye aunſwere from God, and procure rather ſome judgement, then any benefite. For we ſhould not deale for the faſhion ſake with God. O our ſhield] How of the craveth, ſo oft he calleth vppon God moſt reverently, which thing, is an evidente, that every one of theſe words proceed from particular apprehenſions of the heart. Men commonly when they ſpeake to ſuperiour powers, they vſe oft and honorable ſtyles; but for the moſt part fayned ſtyles. But the godly, when they ſpeake reverently vntounto God, they ſpeake from the entire ſincerity, reverence, faith and louelove of the heart. For wee muſt deale with GOD, the ſearcher of the hearts, with vprightnes of heart, and not make our word ſo much as our ſoule approoved vntounto him, and this cannot bee done without his owne ſpirit: For no man calleth Ieſus Chriſt, but by the holie Spirite [Behold] As he firſt ſought the eare, ſo nowe hee deſireth the eie of GOD: For the godly are not at reſte within themſelues, before they firſte feele, that all the ſenſes of their God, as it were, are exerciſed vppon them; for even as they, who favoure not but of thoſe earthly things, ſome not to themſelues able to liue, vnles they hauehave the eare of the Princes of this world open vntounto them, and hauehave their eie fixed vponupon them: ſo they who ſeek that everlaſting life, they depend altogether vponupon the eie and eare of God, who is the alone author of life, and in whoſe face there is ſacietie of joyes.
For one day is] This is the argument of the petition, from that joye which is in the Church of God. Of this joy he entreateth by way of compariſon, and he aggregeth it by a compariſon taken frō a thing that is leſſe, of that joy which is in the pavillions of wickednes, that is, which is without the Church, without the which, there is nothing but wickedneſſe: as if he ſhould ſaye, The joye of one daye in the Church, is more then the joy of a thouſand daies without the Church; from thence hee concludeth: Therefore I had rather hant the threſhold in the houſe of God, &c. Hee preferreth then the joye of one day in the Church, to the joy of many dayes without the Church. The reaſon is, becauſe the weight & quantity of that ſpiritual joye which is in the Church, recompenſeth the ſhortneſſe of the time: For one crumme, if it were no more of that ſpirituall joy, is of greater weight & eſtimation, then is the whole joy of this world. Marke, if ſo little a time of ſpirituall gladneſſe, begun but onelyonly in this fighting Church vppon earth, ſurpaſſeth by ſo many degrees, that whole time of the joy, which is of this world; I pray you, how much ſhal wee ſay the eternitie of that ſpirituall ioy to be, which at length is to be perfited in the triumphant Church, to be more excellent, I ſay, then all the joye of this worlde, which laſteth but for a moment as it were? For the whole time of this joy, if it be compared with eternitie, what other thing is it, then a certaine moment, and that gladnes of the world, if it be compared with that heavenly ioy, how vaine and light is it? Compare therfore, that everlaſting weight, of that excellently excellent glorie, ſo to ſpeake with the Apoſtle, with this momentanean lightneſſe of worldly ioye.2. Cor. 4 The Prophet ſaid not greate ioye, which is in the Church, when he brought in the cauſe, wherefore he deſired to bee brought home againe into the Church, but by waye of compariſon he ſaide, that this ioye was greater, then that ioy of the whole world is; yea, he preferred one daye of this ioy: to a thouſand dayes of worldlie ioye, and not only preferred he this ioye, which is in the Church, to that ioy which is in the world, but having vtterly abandoned this worldly ioye, he chooſe that ſpiritual ioy. Here then I marke, that is not ſufficient, if we ſaye there is a great ioye in the Church of God, vnleſſe wee prefer the ſame alſo vntounto the whole ioye of this world. Againe, it is not ynough, if in worde we prefer the ſame, except alſo wee make ſome choiſe thereof alſo in this life. Moyſes chooſe rather to bee afflicted with the people of God, then to enjoy the commodities of iniquitie. If therefore Moyſes chooſe the affliction and miſery of the Church, having contemned altogether the royall pleaſures; how much more ought we to chooſe that gladneſſe, which is in the Church of God, having deſpiſed in the meane time, all the pleaſures of this worlde. Which ioy, ſurely if we chooſe not in this life in ſome certaine meaſure, certainely wee ſhall never enioy that perfite pleaſure which is in the other life.
For God is the Sun] The reaſon, wherefore hee chooſe rather to haunt the threſholde in Gods houſe, taken from God himſelfe, and from his preſence in the Church, as of a certaine Sunne and Shield. God is a certaine Sun, becauſe the beame of his grace ſhineth in our harts,2. Cor. … as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. And hee is a ſhield, becauſe he protecteth & reſcueth his Church, and defendeth it from evill: For without the Church, there is no protection, no ſalvation, as there is no light, no grace. But the borrowed figuratiue ſpeeches following, expound theſe wordes, by which it is ſaide firſt, Iehova giveth grace and glory: For, for this cauſe he is called a Sun. Then is ſubjoyned: Hee reſtrayneth not good from them which walk in vprightnes] That is, who are truly and really of the Church. But vnderſtand therewith, he holdeth off and reſtrayneth evill from the Church, and the members of the Church. For, for this hee is called a ſhield. Mark, who finally ar they, who choſe to dwell in the houſe of God, or in the church, to wit, thoſe only ar they who behold that Sunne ſhining in the Church, and that buckler, which protecteth the Church. But others, vponupon whome that Sun hath not ſhined, and whom that ſhield defendeth not, they are ſo farre from that, that they would dwell in the Church of GOD, that contrariwiſe, with all their heart they abhor the ſocietie of the Church, and of the Saintes. It is therefore greatly to the purpoſe, once to hauehave looked vponupon that preſence of god in his church.
13 O Iehoua of hoſtes, bleſsed is the man that hath his confidence in thee.
O Iehova, bleſſed is the man] The concluſion of the prayer, conteining an excellent acclamatorie ſentence, in which Dauid having conſiddered that preſence of GOD in his Church, hee publiſheth him to bee bleſſed, who putteth his truſt in God, that is, who is in the Church, and enjoyeth that preſence of God in his Church. He therefore that beholdeth God preſent in his Church, not only he chooſeth to dwel in the Church, but he judgeth him to be bleſſed, whoſoever hee be that by faith and louelove in God, joyneth himſelf vntounto the Church, and that man alone indeede is the judge of the true felicitie and miſerie of man, who ſeeth the preſence of GOD in his Church for this man judgeth, yea, and he judgeth indeede aright, from that preſence of God, either of the happineſſe or miſerie of man. To God therefore in his Church, be all glory, through Ieſus Chriſt, for evermore, Amen.